How to Bathe Your
Dog at Home
We know it all seems rather elementary, but there are a
few tips and tricks we can give to help you get the most
out of your dog's bath time when bathing at home.  
Remember that if your dog has a coat that requires
regular professional grooming, it's best to only bathe
your dog if they get into something yucky or do a lot of
swimming.  One bath every six to eight weeks is plenty
for some dogs, most dogs will require even less.  Too
much bathing is really hard on a dog's skin and coat.  
Questions?  Call 770-712-0093 or Email Us
 Make sure you have everything you need for bathing and after bath care before you begin.  Some of the
things you will need include:  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo in the formula of your choice, a Zoom Groom or other
curry-comb type brush, towels, a hair dryer, plain mineral oil (not scented "baby oil") and an eye dropper,
cotton balls, ear flushing/drying solution, nail trimmers (preferably the "plier" type versus the "guillotine" type),  
a comb and/or a slicker-type brush, a large plastic pitcher if you don't have a detachable shower head nozzle
(which is absolutely your best bet), a toothbrush designed for dogs, and dog toothpaste.
Be prepared to spend at least an hour of uninterrupted time with your dog in the bathing area.  You will need
to ignore the phone, the TV, family members, and other distractions during this time.  Your bathing area can
be your bathroom, a mudroom sink if your dog is of the toy variety, or your deck or patio with a water hose on
a summer day.  Plastic wading pools and a garden hose can make a great impromptu "garden tub" on a hot
day.  (Take a look at the picture on the bottom of this page.)
Gather all your supplies and take them to the bathing area before you take your dog in.  If your dog is typically
resistant to getting a bath, you may need to fashion a restraint with your dog's leash to keep them in the
bathing area.  NEVER leave a restrained dog unsupervised.  Be sure to browse through the different formulas
of Vanessa's Dog Shampoo Essential Therapy Line to see some of the calming aromatherapy benefits when
choosing a shampoo for a dog that doesn't dig baths.   Take your dog to the bathing area either by leash, by
carrying, or by using obedience commands, but always in a business-like manner.  Don't hem and haw or
beat around the bush or beg and plead with your dog to enter the bathing area.  If you're acting weird about
giving a bath, your dog will act weird about getting one.
Before bathing any dog, you should always thoroughly brush them, removing any mats and being sure that the
brush goes all the way through the coat to the skin.  A curry-comb brush is fine for dogs with really short hair
and/or no undercoat, and a slicker brush is the best choice for dogs with medium to long coats.  If you have
any mats that can't be removed with a slicker brush, you may need to cut them out or schedule an
appointment with a good groomer.  Once all the mats have been removed and the dog has been thoroughly
brushed, it's time to add the water!  Now is a good time to add a leash restraint if necessary.
Use an eyedropper to add a drop or two of plain mineral oil to each eye.  This provides a lubricating barrier
against soap suds and ear cleaning solution.  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo is alcohol-free, and won't irritate the
dog's eyes, but ear cleaners and many other dog shampoos have a high alcohol content and will irritate your
dog's eyes.  Be sure to never touch the dropper to your dog's eyes!
Thoroughly wet the dog using a detachable shower head, a garden hose, or a plastic pitcher.  You should
never use hot water on a dog.  Cool water is fine for most adult dogs, lukewarm to slightly warm water is best
for puppies and toy dogs.  Just like with any other cleaning project, you want to start at the top and work your
way down.  Some dogs, like the retrievers and water dogs, have extra oil in their coats that will require you to
work the water down to the skin.  You will find the same to be true with dogs that have very thick undercoats,
like Huskies and Akitas.
If using Vanessa's Dog Shampoo, apply one stripe of shampoo down the dog's back, starting at the top of the
head between the ears and going all the way to the base of the tail.  Shampoos that use a lot of thickening
agents will require you to use more shampoo.  Work the shampoo into a lather using a Zoom Groom or other
curry-comb brush.  Using a curry-comb brush helps lather the shampoo, helps guarantee that the shampoo
reaches the skin, and helps to increase circulation in the dog's skin, creating a healthier skin and coat!  Use
your fingertips to lather around the dog's face.  If using Vanessa's Dog Shampoo, once the shampoo touches
the skin, it's doing its job!  For large or tall dogs, you may need to add more shampoo to clean the legs, ears,
and tail.
Be sure to rinse the dog thoroughly, starting with the head and working your way down.  Vanessa's Dog
Shampoo rinses easily and cleanly; some dog shampoos are difficult to rinse away.  Any suds left on the dog
will actually create a sticky residue as the dog dries.  This residue will actually attract dirt and dander and trap
dead hairs near the skin.  Use your hands or your curry-comb brush as a squeegee to aid in whisking dirt and
suds away.  If you see a lot of dirt in the rinse water, you may want to repeat the shampoo and rinse cycle.  
Whether you need to repeat a lather or not, your rinse water should run clear of suds before you stop.
Use a good flushing/drying solution in the ears to help dry the ear (to prevent yeast infections stemming from
water trapped in the ear) while maintaining the right acidity and pH.  Ask your veterinarian or groomer for a
recommendation regarding brand.  Hold the dog's ear upright and pour enough solution into the ear canal that
it begins to overflow.  Find the cartilage ball of your dog's ear (where the ear joins the head) and squish all the
fluid around inside the ear.  This will also loosen excess ear wax, making it easy to flush away.  If your dog
experiences any pain during this procedure, it could be a sign of an infection that you will want to consult with
your veterinarian about.  If necessary, use more solution to flush out the loosened earwax.  Use cotton balls to
swab excess solution and loosened debris from the underside of the ear.  Allow the dog to shake its head
and further release any remaining solution from the ear.  If your dog has a lot of hair inside the ears, make an
appointment with your groomer or veterinarian to have them pluck the hair or show you how to do it.
Towel dry your dog and then trim the nails.  Nails that have been wet for a bit are typically easier to trim,
causing your dog less stress.  If you are unsure of the appropriate way to trim your dog's nails, consult with
your veterinarian or groomer.  If your dog has a lot of hair in between the pads of his feet, you will want to
make sure this gets trimmed away either by you, your groomer, or your vet.  Hair that covers the pads of the
dog's feet impedes the dog's traction and can lead to muscular and skeletal problems due to
overcompensation patterns.
Brush your dog's teeth using a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste.  Never use human toothpaste on a dog!  
Dogs aren't physically capable of spitting, so you must use a toothpaste that is safe for dogs to swallow.  
Consult with your veterinarian regarding proper brushing techniques if necessary.  
If your dog will tolerate a hair dryer, use one on a cool setting (warm for puppies and toy dogs) to finish drying
your dog.  This will create "loft" in your dog's coat, increasing air circulation to the skin.  Move the dryer around
continuously and quickly so as not to irritate your dog's skin.  Dogs with thick hair and undercoats and dogs
with Poodle-type coats will also benefit from being back-brushed at this time.  Brush the hair against the
direction it normally lays to further encourage loft, speed drying time, and help release any remaining dead
hair from the coat.
It is always best to allow a professional groomer to handle any cutting and clipping of your dog's hair.  Not only
does a good groomer know how to make your dog look fantastic, they know how to get that look while
creating the least amount of stress for your dog.  Consult with your groomer regarding any touch-up trimming
you may be able to do at home in-between grooming appointments.
A few other points to consider:  brushing, nail trimming, and teeth brushing should be done on a regular basis.  Brushing and
dental care should be done once a week minimum.  Nail trimming should be done regularly, the amount of time between nail
trims will depend largely on your individual dog.  Exercise, diet, and genetic makeup play a large role in nail growth.  The best
rule of thumb--if you can hear your dog's nails click on a hard surface as they walk, the nails are too long!  Nails that are too
long are very uncomfortable, if not painful, for a dog.  You should also keep a close eye on the hair in between the pads of the
feet, and trim that hair anytime it's long enough to touch the bottoms of the pads.
How many dog shampoos would you feel comfortable doing THIS with?  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo is free of harsh
chemicals, and is gentle enough that a baby can participate in bath time!  Please be aware that the dog pictured
here is owned and trained by a professional.  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo does not recommend placing a small child
in a bathing situation with a dog that is not under complete control of the owner.